First off, I apologize to my friends and roleplay partners who've been left hanging. Any desire to cancel old threads is completely understandable.

I've been struggling with a serious health issue the past several months. There was a long period where things would seem to improve only to relapse, delaying things further. All that aside, just wanted to let people know I'm around again and to contact me via PM or Trillian - ironsoldier, if anyone wants to get things going again.

The audience of the AFW fell silent, as the crowded stadium went dark, the lights cutting out, leaving nothing but blackness in the arena. There had been rumors that a new wrestler was to make her debut tonight, and the crowd was eager to find out just who. When the lights went dark, they knew they would soon have their answer. Something was up.

Curiously though, no one appeared...yet, at least. Instead, the massive screens of the arena turned out, showing scenes and clips that consisted of...of all things...the members of Eclipse, fighting and performing for the crowd. The audience was curious. Eclipse hadn't been seen in months. Was tonight to be their big reappearance?

Apparently not, for as the clips and scenes of the popular idols played, a woman's voice began to come from the speakers of the arena. The voice sounded deep, husky, and had a cold edge to it.

"I'm sure all of you know of Eclipse. They are a group who needs no introduction to any of you. Popular. Skilled. Beautiful, some would claim. There's little doubt that if they were still around, they would be the tag team champions. Perhaps they would hold other titles as well."

The video on the screens suddenly changed, showing clips of Macky Ueto, in her fight against Sandy Starlight. The voice continued, narrating over the clips as they played out.

"No doubt you all know of Macky Ueto, as well. Powerful. Arrogant. No doubt that with a little work, she could hold a high place within these company. All she needs is the right push, wouldn't you think?"

Again the video suddenly changed, showing clips of other wrestlers in the company. Most of the audience quickly realized, they were all of women who had fought in the Wrestle Angels federation years and years ago. Still the voice carried on, growing colder by the moment as she continued speaking.

"Emily Nelson. Bunny Bomber. Natasha Han. Lucky Uchida. Most of you are familiar with all of these women. Most of you are probably fans of some of them. I wouldn't be surprised if most of you own merchandise for at least one of them, perhaps more than one of them."

The video suddenly cut out completely, the screens going dark, leaving the arena in total darkness once more as the voice continued. "Well, I'm here to tonight to inform each and every one of you of something..."

Out of nowhere, a single spotlight suddenly flashed on, pointing straight down into the center of the ring, revealing a tall, powerful looking woman standing in the center of the ring, a serious look on her face and a microphone clutched tightly in one hand, lifted to her lips as she continued to speak...

Spoiler:

"I am here to tell you that every single one of these women are trash. Every one of these women, these former Wrestle Angels, are garbage. Not a single one of these women deserve anything that they have been given. Not a single one of them even deserve to be a part of this company, or any other."

The lights of the arena suddenly cut back on in full, the purple-haired woman staring out over the audience, keeping them entranced with her rant as she slowly turned about, letting her words sink in before she continued again. "My name is Hibiki Izayoi! I want you all to remember my name, and remember it well!" Her voice grew louder, her expression tightening, focusing as she gazed around at the captive audience. "I also want you all to remember this! I hold no greater aspirations for my time in this federation! I seek no title, and no glory! I want one thing, and one thing only!"

Hibiki's free arm rose up into the air, her hand forming a tight fist, thrust towards the ceiling, towards the sky, as she reached the climax of her speech. "The only thing I care about is facing my fellow former Wrestle Angels within this very ring! I want to face each and every single one of them, I want to grind them down, and I want to defeat them! I want to break every single one of them, to show them how undeserving they are of what they have, to prove to them that they are nothing! They are trash! Garbage!"

With that said, Hibiki turned towards the entrance to the arena, lowering her arm and staring coldly towards the entrance. "I will face any one of you, at any time. I will fight in any match, of any type, and I will win. This is a promise, to every member of this company who has every called them self a Wrestle Angel. If any of you have the spine, if any of you are brave enough to meet your end, then I beg of you to come find me. Come face me, so that I may show you just how little you are truly worth. This is my challenge to all of you."

After those words, Hibiki fell silent, dropping her microphone to the canvas, and stepping to the ropes, slipping out of the ring and heading back up the ramp to the arena's exit. She was confident that she had made a mark here with her debut, and as she made her exit she could hear the audience abuzz, whispering and speaking to themselves about her speech, wondering if there were any Wrestle Angels who would pick up her challenge.